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PENSACOLA. 



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y In calling public notice to a second sale of City Lots, 
ijl' on the first Monday of May next, in the City of Pensa- 
m cola, the undersigned respectfully ask attention to the 

following advertisement, which appears in most of the 

leading newspapers, viz : 

SALE OF TOWN LOTS AT PENSACOLA. 

Agreeably to announcement at the termination of the 
first sale of lots in January last, the undersigned now 
give notice that a second public sale of lots in the City 
of Pensacola will take place on the premises, on Monday 
the first day of May next. 

Terms — One fifth cash or approved drafts on the North. 
One fifth at one year's credit. 
One fifth at two years credit. 
One fifth at three years credit. 
One fifth at four years credit. 

The consideration money to be secured as on the pre- 
vious sale — further particulars of which, or any devia- 
tion therefrom, as also in terms of sale, will be made 
known to purchasers at the period and place of sale. 

The undersigned deem it unnecessary at this period 
to repeat to the public any observations or remarks de- 
scriptive of the present advantages or future promises 
controlled by this inviting location. 

The sale in May next, like that of January last, will 
be conducted openly and fairly, with a scrupulous avoid- 
ance of every species of by-bidding. 




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The sale of lots in January reached the sum of Five 
hundred and eighty thousand dollars, to purchasers of the 
best character from various parts of our country, and 
from Europe and Cuba, whose united capital probably 
exceeds thirty millions of dollars. A better evidence of 
the belief of what Pensacola is, and will become, need 
scarcely to be adduced, nor of the interest and enter- 
prise involved. 

Accurate maps of the city, showing the lots sold, as 
well as those now for sale, will be ready for distribution 
without delay, and can be had on application as noted 
below. 

The sale will be conducted under the direction of 
William H. Chase, Esq. of Pensacola, one of the Trus- 
tees, to whom, or to either of the undersigned co- Trus- 
tees in New- York, application may be made for any 
further information regarding the property, as also the 
improvements, public and private, now progressing 

there. 

WM. H. CHASE, > 

M. ROBINSON, V Trustees. 

CHS. AUGS. DAVIS, ) 

Maps may be had on application to the following gen- 
tlemen: — William H. Chase, Esq. Pensacola; M. Ro- 
binson, Chs. A. Davis, and S. V. S. Wilder, New- York ; 
A. G. Jaudon, Thomas Biddle & Co., and Elihu Chaun- 
cey, Philadelphia ; and in other cities at the office of the 
paper in which this advertisement appears. 

The map annexed shows the lots sold in January last 
and those now offered for sale. 

Among the mass of interesting facts which have been 
developed jn regard to Pensacola, the undersigned have 
great satisfaction in selecting the following able letter of 
Commodore Stewart, of the U. S^ Navy, published by 



order of Congress at its present session. The high cha- 
racter of this officer and patriot, and the able manner in 
which he has discharged the duty assigned him by the 
Government, require no comment. 

24th Congress, [Doc. No. 50.1 Ho. of Reps. 

2d Session. ^^^'V I^^P*- 

NAVY YARD— PENSACOLA. 



LETTER 

from 

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, 

TRANSMITTING 

The information required by a resolution of the House of Representa- 
tives on the 2Qth inst, in relation to the Navy Yard at Pensacola. 



December 29, 1836. 

Referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. 



Navy Department, 

December 29, 1836. 
Sir — In comphance v^ith the resolution of the House 
of Representatives of the 26th instant, directing the Sec- 
retary of the Navy to communicate to the House the 
Report of the Naval Commission who have been recently 
engaged in the examination of the navy yard at Pensa- 
cola, and the Report of Commodore Stewart on the same 
subject, I have the honor to transmit to the House copies 
of the papers called for by that resolution. 
I am, with great respect, 

Your obedient servant, 

MAHLON DICKERSON. 
The honorable the Speaker 

of the House of Representatives of the U. S. 

[Here follows the Report of the Commissioners.] 



Philadelphia, November 20, 1836. 

Sir — In your instructions directed to me of the 8th 
July last, relative to the plan for the construction of the 
navy yard at Pensacola, you direct that "all the build- 
ings and improvements should be comprised in the plan 
w^hich at any future time would be necessary at that 
yard," and that " an enlarged view should be taken of 
all the matters connected with it as a dock yard, or a 
building and repairing establishment." Having comple- 
ted a plan for the improvements of the yard, and sub- 
mitted it to you, I beg leave now to submit to you also 
some ideas which occurred to me in taking that enlarged 
view of this establishment which your instructions seemed 
to aim at. 

In studying the position of Pensacola with reference 
not only to our own adjacent coast, and the great outlet 
of the Mississippi v/hich it is so favorably placed to pro- 
tect, but also to the neighboring countries of Mexico and 
the islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and St. Domingo, which 
are all liable at some future period to be occupied by 
nations at enmity with the United States, the national 
importance of the place could not but force itself on my 
mind, and excited some surprise that it had not hitherto 
attracted more the attention of the Government. In evi- 
dence how little has as 3^et been done there, I may men- 
tion the fact, that the revenue schooner Dexter had to 
resort to Charleston to get her sides caulked, and a few 
other trifling repairs which she needed. Yet, at the same 
time that the great section of our country, of which Pen- 
sacola must hereafter become the naval depot, has been 
thus overlooked, we find large appropriations applied to 
the construction of navy yards in the middle and eastern 
States. Casual observers unacquainted with the luke- 
warmness with which the development of our naval ener- 



gies has been prosecuted, might naturally conclude that 
this disparity had its origin in an indifference to our true 
policy, or in sectional selfishness ; or how else could they 
account for the extraordinary fact, that our whole sea- 
board from Norfolk to the Sabine, an extent of nearly 
two thousand miles, does not afford the means of even 
repairing a sloop of war; whilst to the north and east, in 
less than one thousand miles of coast, the means not only 
for repairs, but for construction, are so singularly multi- 
plied, that in the Chesapeake waters we have two — the 
navy yards at Norfolk and Washington ; and in the bay 
of Massachusetts, two others — one at Portsmouth and 
one at Boston. There is great deficiency in the south- 
ern section of our country, as respects preparation for 
naval defence, where it may be most needed, to protect 
the rich and exuberant region which has its outletin the 
straits of Florida. In the event of war, every means 
would be wanting to afford a permanent protection for 
its great and valuable products issuing forth through so 
many arteries, and now rendering all Europe tributary 
to us, and promoting the prosperity not only of the 
States which produce them, but at the same time the 
wealth, power, and aggrandizement of our whole Union. 
Through the Florida stream flow all the commerce and 
valuable productions of South Carolina, Georgia, Flori- 
da, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee^, Mississippi, Louisia- 
na, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois. All the produce of 
these various States, except that of South Carolina and 
Georgia, must pass through the straits of Cape Florida, 
the only practicable outlet of the great Gulf of Mexico, 
which is thus constituted for egress, a close sea, as much 
so as the Mediterranean, owing to the northeast trade 
wind which prevails to the south, and the island of Cuba 
and the Bahamas closing it on the east. 



All the States enumerated are highly interested in the 
establishment of an efficient naval depot within the Gulf 
of Mexico, embracing all the elements necessary for the 
repairs, construction, and equipment of ships of v/ar, and 
the gradual acclimating of troops for southern service. 

By means of the strong current of the gulf stream, na- 
val protection could be afforded to Georgia and South 
Carolina with as much facihty and despatch from Pen- 
sacola as from any of our northern naval stations ; and, 
on the contrary, a naval force rendezvousing at Ports- 
mouth, Boston, New- York, or Norfolk, would be as una- 
vailable for our coast and commerce in the Gulf of Mexi- 
co as a naval force at Brest or Cherbourg would be for 
the protection of the south of France and her commerce 
in the Mediterranean. Indeed, the ships at our northern 
ports would be still less available than the French ships 
under those circumstances ; for, owing to the circuitous 
navigation round the south of Cuba, which the strong cur- 
rents of the Gulf of Florida render necessary, it would 
take from thirty to fifty days for a fleet to reach the 
Gulf of Mexico from any port on our north Atlantic coast. 
The Natchez sloop of war, in which I took my passage, 
in the fulfilment of the orders of the 8th of July last, took 
thirty-four days to get from New- York to Pensacola ; 
and the year preceding, the same ship was fifty-six days 
in conveying Commodore Dallas from New- York to the 
same place. 

France, situated precisely, with respect to the Medi- 
terranean, as the United States are to the Gulf of Mexi- 
co, found it necessary to establish her great naval depot 
at Toulon ; and Spain, with her establishment at Ferrol, 
and another at Cadiz, immediately by the straits of Gib- 
raltar, could not protect her Mediterranean commerce 
without another formidable establishment at Carthagena. 



Thus it must be with the United States. The Gulf of 
Mexico is our Mediterranean, and Pensacola will be- 
come our Toulon ; also, at no distant period, some port 
on the coast of South Carolina or Georgia must furnish 
the same facilities as Cadiz for the jorotection of the 
exterior mouth of the straits of Florida. 

However inclined some may be to pass over this im- 
portant question, it does appear to me, that if our Go- 
vernment be true to the purposes of its institution, they 
will accord ample protection to every section r)f our 
Union. The period for according this protection may 
be delayed, to the injury of our interests and the dis- 
honor of our national character ; but it cannot be al- 
ways avoided, for, in some future maritime war — such 
as, sooner or later, must take place, and which we may 
be engaged in — the productions of that vast empire, 
which has for its only outlet the straits of Florida, will 
be effectually locked up, to the fatal injury of thecoun- 
trv, or possibly to the dissolution of the Union. 

It is not probable that an enemy will hereafter ever 
attempt to make permanent conquest of any part of our 
territory ; yet past experience has shown us with what 
facility an inconsiderable military force, sustained by a 
naval one, could agitate our whole seaboard, harass the 
militia, burn our towns and planto.tions, and arrest en- 
tirely our commerce and coasting trade, for the want of 
adequate means of defence, proportioned to the resour- 
ces and real power of our country. At a later period, we 
have seen with what facility a handful of pirates, without 
territorial protection, skulking into and out of the har- 
bors of the neighboring islands, could pillage and destroy 
our vessels trading to the Carribean and Mexican seas, 
and sacrifice the lives of our citizens with relentless 
barbarity. 



I ^• 



Foreign powers, with whom we are hable, from con- 
flicting interests, to be brought into collision, border our 
territory, and occupy a chain of formidable posts, stretch- 
insf alonor and overlookinsr our whole southern coast — 
such as Jamaica, Mexico, Cuba, Bermudas, and the Ba- 
hamas ; some of which are maintained at great expense, 
and might be the rendezvous for future means of annoy- 
ance and attack of our territory and commerce. 

The Gulf of Mexico and straits of Florida, constitu- 
ting as they do the outlet of so many productions of a 
rich and valuable nature, thus surrounded by various 
nations, bid fair to be the scenes of much future conten- 
tion. Our own interests in that quarter are of immense 
and rapidly increasing value, and which being thus open 
to assault, it appears to me it would be a wise policy in 
our Government to provide the arsenals and establish- I 
ments for ships of war necessary to the protection of our 
vast interests in that sea, and thus prevent its falhng a 
prey to the rapacious grasp of future belligerants, as 
well as to avoid the necessity of our ships of war navi- 
gating (perhaps in a crippled condition) a dangerous 
coast of such extent, to procure the necessary repairs 
and refit, from the destruction of battle, the disasters of 
the elements, and the decay incident to our vessels, and 
subject to great loss of time in going from and returning 
to their stations at the south. 

The new principles of European policy and reform 
in relation to their American colonies, aided by the fa- 
natics spread over our own country, exciting an insur- 
rectionary spirit among a numerous class of our south- 
western population, together with the cupidity which 
the rich productions of that country are calculated to 
create, seem to admonish us not to trust too far our own 
peaceful habits and passive disposition, but to apply all 



9 

the means in the possession of the Government for the 
permanent defence of that interesting portion of the 
Union. 

If these impressions are just, it appears to me of the 
greatest importance that the construction of the dock 
and navy yard at Pensacola should be pushed on with 
all possible despatch ; and that the navy should obtain 
there every essential to its efficiency ; and the Govern- 
ment and country should find at that place, on the fii'st 
emergency, all the means of defence for the coast and 
its commerce. The best harbor in the Gulf of Mexico, 
accessible at all seasons of the year, enjoying an exemp- 
tion from tropical diseases, and a mild climate, nature 
seems to have formed it for the great naval depot and 
rendezvous for oar ships destined to protect the Mexican 
seas. This harbor admits, with facility of ingresss and 
egress, the largest sloops of war and merchant ships ; 
but this will not be ^'adequate to the future wants of the 
nation in the Gulf of Mexico." The deepening of the 
bar, or entrance, so as to admit vessels of ihe largest 
class, is essential to that port, and is an experiment well 
worth trying. Should, how^ever, the experiment fail, a 
new channel could be cut through the island of St. Rosa, 
which, I should think, would not be a work of much dif- 
ficulty, as the island is very narrow, and has deep water 
close to the shore on the sea side. 

The abundance of the finest timber for the construc- 
tion and the repairing of vessels of war, which grows 
on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, and immediately 
in the neighborhocd of Pensacola, which now has to be 
transported to the northern navy yards at great expense 
and labor, added to the facilities which the internal im- 
provements in a state of progress in that country will af- 
ford for the transportation of every material for fleets of 

2 



10 

war, constitutes a strong reastni for the early estal>lish- 
mcnt of* a school of workmen and mechanics, so essen- 
tial to the ends proposed, of meeting "any future wants 
at that place," and developing its utility as a naval depot 
"and rendezvous for the ships of war. 

Considering the exposed state of this section of our 
Union from the causes before enumerated, and that the 
Gulf of Mexico and its outhjt (the straits of Florida) is 
our vulnerable point, through which flows so large a 
portion of our national wealth, no time ought to be lost 
in rendering Pensacola the key to, and the defence of, 
the Mexican seas. 

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, sir, 
Your most obedient servant, 

CHARLES 8TEWART. 

To the Hon. Maholn Dickerson, 

Secretary of the Navy. 

To the evidence herein detailed of the indispensable 
importance of Pensacola in a national point of view, 
other public documents coulcl be added, all going to 
confirm the facts set forth. 

It is only of recent date, however, that private enter- 
prise has taken in hand the development of resources, in 
a commercial point of view, possessed by Pensacola, and 
opening from its spacious harbor channels of communi- 
cation to an interior teeming with the elements of abun- 
dance. 

It has been already stated that this port is unequaled 
on our whole southern seacoast for ease of access to the 
largest class of merchant ships, and the advantage of un- 
interrupted salubrity of climate at all seasons. The su- 
periority of the harbor is owing to the absence of rapid 
rivers, unnavigable at some seasons, and at others pour- 



11 

ing their alluvial deposits along with them. Had Pen- 
sacola such rivers from the interior, she would not have 
such a harbor ; and this leads to the simple inquiry, 
whether the want of a river, with its attending conse- 
quences, is a matter of regret, or, on the contrary, one of 
decided advantage to its permanent and abiding inte- 
rest 1 On this latter conclusion, private enterprise has 
decided to act, and railroads are now in rapid course of 
construction from this port to the interior, directing their 
route through such portions of the rich State of Alabama, 
and penetrating sources of wealth there which otherwise 
would lie dormant. The alacrity in co-operation mani- 
fested by the intelligent and industrious inhabitants on 
the proposed route, furnishes abundant guarantees that 
the work will not slumber, and the undersigned, in behalf 
of those whose interests are intrusted to them whilst 
they are promised a fair return for the capital and time 
devoted to the enterprise, are also permitted to indulge 
in the just pride that their labors will extend directly and 
indirectly to advancing not only national convenience 
and national advantages, but also advance the interests 
of thousands in the immediate neighborhood of their 
works. This feeling receives an additional impulse 
from the fact, also, that the objects attained in no shape 
interfere with previous vested interests. 

It is shown conclusively also, by data incapable of 
doubter refutation, that, at an expense very inconsider- 
able, (say 15 miles of Canal in level digging-,) an unin- 
terrupted Steamboat communication from the Mississip- 
pi, via the Manchac, near Baton Rouge, and thence 
through the lakes Ponchartrain and Borgne and across 
the bays of Mobile and Perdido, can be formed directly 
into the harbor of Pensacola, thus rendering this latter 
place a permanent Seaport of the vast trade of that 



12 

mighty river. There i^ not a state throughout the whole 
Valley of the Mississippi, that would not be sensibly and 
favorably affected by this additional outlet, and it only 
requires to be examined to show that the most remarka- 
ble feature involved in it, is the delay in its accomplish- 
ment. Whether this is now to be done by the General 
Government or by private enterprise, will very shortly be 
decided — that it must soon be effected by one or the 
other, there can be little doubt, as the vast interests in- 
volved will not admit of much longer neglect or delay. 

It would be a narrow view of the subject to regard 
Pensacola as exclusively the Seaport of West Florida ; 
under our happy form of Government, commerce and 
enterprise are not confined to geographical limits. The 
advantages of Pensacola as a Seaport, belong to every 
state that can find access to it. It is conclusively shown, 
that in a National point of view and for defence and pro- 
tection of vast interests, its position is indispensable, and 
stands unrivaled. It is and shall be our pride and our 
pleasure so to direct the interests committed to our charge, 
that whatever advantages are possessed in a commercial 
point of view by Pensacola, may be participated in by 
.the largest number of our industrious and enterprising 
fellow citizens. 

WM. H. CHASE, ) 

M. ROBINSON, V Trustees. 

CH'S AUG'S DAVIS, ^ 

March 1, 1837. 



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